Swather attachment for mowing-machines.



v PATENTED MAR-8 K J. HOFFMAN. I SWATHER ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLIUAT IO N FILED JUNE 15, 1903.

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PATBNTED MAR. s, 1904. J. HOFFMAN. Y SWATHER ATTACHMENT FOR MOWINGMACHINES.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1903.

NO MODEL- No. 753,883. I PATENTED' MAR. a, 1904.

J. HOFFMAN. SWATHER ATTACHMENT FOR MOWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

23% knew-e a UNITED ST TES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT- OFFICE.

SWATHER ATTACH IVIENT FOR MOWlNG-MAOHINES.

SPECIFICATION-forming'part of Letters Patent No. 753,883, dated March 8,1904.

Application filed June 16, 1903.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, J AOOB HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Sidney, in the county of Hunterdon and State of NewJersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in SwatherAttachments for Mowing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a swather attachment for mowing-machines.

The object of my invention is to provide a swather attachment for mowingmachines which will work in any kind of grain, and, further, to providesuch an attachment capable of being mounted on the guard-plate of themowing-machine, whereby grain can be cut and thrown off in onecontinuous operation. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of aportion of a mowing-machine, showing my swather attachment mounted onthe guardplate for the cutter-knives. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof. Fig. l'is an end view thereof. Fig. 5 isadetail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the adjustablesprocket-wheels, showing the means for adjustably securing it on itsshaft." Fig. 6 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of theadjustable fingers carried on the conveyer-chain; Fig. 7 is a detailview, on an enlarged scale, of one of the adjustable fingers of theclearing device, showing the means for adjustably securing it on itsshaft. Fig. 8 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of one of thepulleys taking up the slack in the conveyer-chains. Fig. 9 is aperspective view, some of the parts being removed to show theconstruction of the frame.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the samereferencefchar'acters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of a mowing-machine,and 2 the cutter mechanism, on the guard-plate 3 of which my 'swatherattachment is mounted.

.The frame of my swather attachment comprises the front frame,consisting of upper and lower angle-bars 5 and 6, vertical anglebars 7and 8, connecting-the bars 5 and 6,

cross-braces 9 and 10, connecting the bars 7 and 8, and sheathing 11,connected to the braces 9 and 10 and closing in the space be- Serial No.161,639. (No model.)

tween the bars 5 and 6 to a point near their ends, an end frame,consisting of upper and .bar 12.

In the ends of the bars 5 and 6 of the front frame are journaled shaftsand 21, and in the outer ends of the arms 16 and 17 is journaled a shaft19. On each of these shafts a plurality of sprockets 21, 21 22, 23, and24 are secured, the sprockets being adjustably secured by screws 25,passing through hubs 26 on said sprockets and engaging the shaftspassing through them, such adjustment being provided so that thesprockets may be raised or lowered to thereby raiseand lower thesprocket or conveyer chains 27 running around them, and a plurality ofpulleys 27 b and 27 on shafts 27 and 27, respectively, for taking up anyslack in the chains and around which they also pass, are adjustablysecured to the endframe by meansof brackets 27?, having slots 27 slots27 in bars in the end frame, and bolts 27, passing through said slotsand provided with nuts 27*. The sprocket chains or conveyers areprovided with a plurality of fingers 28, secured thereto at about everyfourth link, each having members 29, adjustably secured thereon by meansof a slot 30 in one member and a threaded bolt 31 secured to the othermemher and passing through saidslot and having I a nut 32 run'on itsends. A plate 33 is secured at 33 to the bar 15, which is connected atone end to the inner end of the arm 17 and the end of the bar13 at theirpoint of juncture and at the other end to one end of the bar 6, and saidplate adjustably supports a guard-frame comprising vertical bars 34,having their lower ends turned under said plate 33 and slotted at 34 andsecured to the outer edge thereof by screws 34 passing through the plate33 and slots 34f and provided with nuts 34 and a pluralityof slats 35are secured on said vertical bars 34 by means of threaded bolts 36,passing therethrough and provided with nuts 37 on their ends, andsleeves 38 on said bolts interposed between said bars and slots to holdthem apart. The slats 35 start from a point adjacent the shaft 19 andrun parallel withthe plate 33 to the other end of the machine and bendaround the shaft 19, where they have a vertical plate 39, securedthereon for the purpose of separating the standing grain from the cutgrain at that point. The top slat 35 is bent down and inwardly, so thatthe end projects to a line on a level with the lower slat, and eachintermediate slat is likewise bent down, but at a point short of that atwhich the top slat is bent, so as to present slats disposed at an equaldistance apart from end to end.

A plurality of guides are secured on an angle-bar 51, adjustablysupported by brackets 52, secured to the top bar of the front frame bymeans of slots 53 in the brackets and threaded bolts 54, secured to theanglebar 5 and provided with nuts 55 on their ends. Each guide comprisesan open frame 56, provided with curved fingers adjustably securedthereon by means of bolts 46, passing through said frame and throughelongated slots i? in said fingers and having nuts 48 on their ends,said fingers extending within a short distance of the endlesssprocket-chains or conveyers. A clearing device is provided for thepurpose of forcing the cut grain on its course around the back of themachine on the plate 33 and between the guard-frame and the endlessconveyers, said device being mounted in the end frame and comprises avertical shaft 60, journaled in the upper and lower bars thereof andhaving a lever and a plurality of fingers 61, said fingers beingadjust-ably secured thereto by means of collars 62 encircling said shaftand provided with screws 63, projecting therethrough and engaging saidshaft, the adjustment of said fingers being for the purpose ofaccommodating them to any adjustment of the chains between which theyproject.

l/Vhen not in use, the clearing device is turned by the lever 60 to theposition shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, by forcing said lever forward,and if the cut grain which is being forced along by the endlessconveyers gets clogged up at the delivery end of the machine the lever60 is drawn backward, bringing the clearing device to the position shownin full lines, where it bears against the grain, and by drawing saidlever backward still farther it forces the grain on its course.

A catch device to support the grain as it is thrown by avertically-extending plate or trip 65 is mounted at the end of the plate33 and has prongs 68 and a lever 69, extending upward within reach ofthe driver, said catch device during the operation of the machine beingthrown down within a short distance of the stubble, but raised to clearthe stubble when the machine is being turned. For the purpose ofoperating the chains or endless conveyers a gear 70, secured to thejournal of the shaft 20, engages a gear 71, secured on a shaft 7 2,journaled in a housing 73, secured to the bar-top 5, and asprocket-wheel 7a, secured on the projecting end of said shaft 72, isconnected to the gear 7 5 on the axle of the mowingmachine.

The trip 65 comprises an L-shaped plate secured to the plate 33 in thepath of the grain moved thereon by the conveyers, and it will beunderstood that when the lower ends of the grain strike theupwardly-projecting member of the trip it will be thereby thrown downinto a horizontal position.

The operation is as follows: As the machine is drawn through the grainthe guides separate the standing grain and guide it to the cuttingmechanism at the front of the machine, where it is cut and moved alongby the fingers on the endless carriers to the back of the machine, andwhen it arrives at a point near the end of the plate 33 it is throwndown by the trip 65 onto the catch device and removed from the machine.If the grain should get clogged at the point near the trip, the clearingdevice can be operated by the lever 6O to force it on its way.

1 do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details ofconstruction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as itis manifest that variations and modifications may be made in thefeatures of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the deviceto various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention and improvements. I therefore reserve the right to allsuch variation and modification as properly fall within the scope of myinvention and the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described myinvention, Iclaim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cuttingmechanism, of a swather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereofand comprising a frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above theother running around said frame, and a plurality of guides forseparating the standing grain, said guides supported at the front of themachine, and spaced from the cutting mechanism and endless conveyers andallowing the passage of the cut grain in an upright position betweenthem and said cutting mechanism and. the endless conveyers,substantially as described.

2. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning'around said frame, and a plurality of horizontally-adjustableguides for SOIMLItIlZlDg the standing grain, said guides supported atthe front of the machine and spaced from the cutting mechanism andendless conveyers and allowing the passage of the cut grain in anupright position between them and said cutting mechanism and the endlessconveyers, substantially as described.

3. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame and a plurality of guides havingvertically-adjustable fingers, said guides supported at the front of themachine and spaced from the cutting mechanism and endless conveyers andallowing the passage of the grain in an upright position between themand said cutting mechanism and endless conveyers, substantially asdescribed.

4/ In a mowin -machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof and comprising avertical frame, and a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, and having extensible fingers, substantiallyas described.

5. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprising avertical frame, and a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, and a tension device for said conveyers,substantially as described.-

6. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, a plurality of guides for separating thestanding grain, said guides supported at the front of the frame in frontof the cutting mechanism and endless conveyers and allowing the passageof the cut grain in an upright position between them and the cuttingmechanism and endless conveyers, and a guard-frame supported at the rearof the machine and spaced from the conveyers and allowing the passage ofthe cut grain in an upright position between it and said conveyers, anda device mounted at one end of said vertical frame for dividing the cutgrain from the standing grain, substantially as described.

7. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, a plurality of guides for separating thestanding grain, said guides supported at the front of the frame in frontof the cutting mechanism and endless conveyers and allowing the passageof the cut grain in an upright position between'them and the cuttingmechanism and endless conveyers, and

a guard-frame supported at the rear'of the.

machine and spaced from the conveyers and allowing the passage of thecut grain in an upright position between it and said convey ers, adevice mounted at one end of said vertical frame for dividing the cutgrain from the standing grain, and a device for prevent-' mg theclogging of the machine, substantially as described. I

8. In a .mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, ofa 'swather'attachmentmounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprisinga vertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrun.-.

ning around said frame, a plurality of guides for separating thestanding grain, said guides supported at the front of the frame in frontof endless conveyers one above the other running around said frame, anda guard-frame supported at the rear of the machine, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a mowing-machine the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, and a horizontallyadjustable guard-frame atthe rear of the mechanism, substantially as described.

11. In amowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, of aswather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof and comprising avertical frame, a plurality of endless conveyers one above the otherrunning around said frame, and-a device for catching the grain as itleaves the machine, substantially as described.

12. In a mowing-machine, the combination and comprising a verticalframe, a plurality of endless conveyers located one above the other andrunning around said frame, and a clearlng device, substantially asdescribed.

&

14. In a mowing-machine, the combination with the cutting mechanism, ofa swather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprisinga vertical frame, and a plurality of endless conveyors one above theother running around said frame, and means for adjusting said conveyersvertically, substantially as described.

15. In a mowing-machine, the combination With the cutting mechanism, ofa swather attachment mounted on the guard-plate thereof, and comprisinga vertical frame, and endless conveying means running around said framefor moving the cut grain along in an upright position before the cuttingmechanism and to the back of the machine, substantially as described.

16. In a mowing-machine, the combination With the cutting mechanism, ofa sWather at- JACOB HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

J. C. PYBAS, L. E. DUANE.

